S.Res. 495 — Agreed to in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 495 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 7, 2014 Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Casey) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating July 2014 as Summer Meals Awareness Month. Whereas 1 in 5 children in the United States struggle with hunger; Whereas research has found that more than 30 percent of low-income families do not have enough food during the summer months; Whereas the summer food service program for children established under section 13 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761) exists to ensure that low-income children have access to adequate nutrition when the school year ends; Whereas the summer food service program is designed to give hungry children a safe place to participate in fun, educational activities and to receive a meal; Whereas thousands of schools and nonprofit organizations across the country serve as summer food service program sites; Whereas summer programs are often under-utilized, as only 1 in 6 eligible children participate in the summer food service program, due in part to families being unaware that the summer food service program exists; Whereas lack of transportation and other barriers often prevent children from accessing the summer food service program sites, especially in rural areas; and Whereas almost 1 in 3 low-income children live in communities that are not eligible to participate in the summer food service program, thus reducing their ability to participate in the program: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) designates July 2014 as Summer Meals Awareness Month; (2) encourages members of Congress, schools, local businesses, nonprofit institutions, churches, cities, and State governments to assist in efficient use of summer food service program sites by raising awareness of the location and availability of those sites; (3) encourages members of Congress, schools, local businesses, nonprofit institutions, churches, cities, and State governments to support efforts to increase the participation rate of eligible children who, without the summer food service program for children established under section 13 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761), may go without meals; and (4) encourages members of Congress to visit a summer food service program site to see the importance of the program firsthand.